Core i5-13600K vs EPYC 7573X

CPU

GPU

Core i5-13600K

14 Cores20 Thrd125 WWMax: 5.1 GHz2022

Popular choices:

•••••••••

EPYC 7573X

32 Cores64 Thrd280 WWMax: 3.6 GHz2022

Popular choices:

••••••i5-13600K•••

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i5-13600K

14 / 20

37,655

0.0%

69,432

+84.4%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7965WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9965WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9975WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX

About PassMark

PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core i5-13600K

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +13.8% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $5,261 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $5,590 MSRP).
✅Delivers 821.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 114.5 vs 12.4 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $5,590 MSRP).
✅Draws 125W instead of 280W, a 155W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of SP3 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (37,655 vs 69,432).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (24 MB vs 768 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 7573X, which brings 32 cores / 64 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

EPYC 7573X

2022

Why buy it

✅+84.4% higher PassMark.
✅+3100% larger total L3 cache (768 MB vs 24 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 32 cores / 64 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 20.
✅540% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-13600K across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 12.4 vs 114.5 PassMark/$ ($5,590 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
❌124% higher power demand at 280W vs 125W.
❌Older platform position on SP3 with DDR4, while Core i5-13600K moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-13600K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i5-13600K

2022

EPYC 7573X

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +13.8% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $5,261 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $5,590 MSRP).
✅Delivers 821.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 114.5 vs 12.4 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $5,590 MSRP).
✅Draws 125W instead of 280W, a 155W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of SP3 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅+84.4% higher PassMark.
✅+3100% larger total L3 cache (768 MB vs 24 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 32 cores / 64 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 20.
✅540% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (37,655 vs 69,432).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (24 MB vs 768 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 7573X, which brings 32 cores / 64 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-13600K across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 12.4 vs 114.5 PassMark/$ ($5,590 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
❌124% higher power demand at 280W vs 125W.
❌Older platform position on SP3 with DDR4, while Core i5-13600K moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-13600K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-13600K better than EPYC 7573X?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. EPYC 7573X makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core i5-13600K is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 7573X is the better fit. You are getting 84.4% better PassMark, backed by 32 cores and 64 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 3100% larger total L3 cache (768 MB vs 24 MB).

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Core i5-13600K is the smarter buy today. Core i5-13600K is $5,261 cheaper on MSRP at $329 MSRP versus $5,590 MSRP, and it gives you a 13.8% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that EPYC 7573X is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 84.4% better PassMark. It is also 821.5% better value on MSRP (114.5 vs 12.4 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core i5-13600K is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of SP3. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Core i5-13600K Benchmark Check

EPYC 7573X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-13600K	EPYC 7573X
1080p
low	281 FPS	205 FPS
medium	264 FPS	167 FPS
high	220 FPS	136 FPS
ultra	188 FPS	105 FPS
1440p
low	235 FPS	163 FPS
medium	198 FPS	127 FPS
high	158 FPS	100 FPS
ultra	138 FPS	79 FPS
4K
low	159 FPS	74 FPS
medium	133 FPS	61 FPS
high	102 FPS	48 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	40 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open EPYC 7573X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-13600K	EPYC 7573X
1080p
low	632 FPS	463 FPS
medium	533 FPS	407 FPS
high	450 FPS	329 FPS
ultra	416 FPS	259 FPS
1440p
low	540 FPS	381 FPS
medium	474 FPS	343 FPS
high	403 FPS	286 FPS
ultra	351 FPS	218 FPS
4K
low	316 FPS	234 FPS
medium	282 FPS	215 FPS
high	269 FPS	180 FPS
ultra	238 FPS	144 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open EPYC 7573X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-13600K	EPYC 7573X
1080p
low	663 FPS	865 FPS
medium	543 FPS	717 FPS
high	477 FPS	668 FPS
ultra	414 FPS	590 FPS
1440p
low	600 FPS	622 FPS
medium	499 FPS	514 FPS
high	434 FPS	472 FPS
ultra	376 FPS	412 FPS
4K
low	441 FPS	444 FPS
medium	381 FPS	345 FPS
high	344 FPS	308 FPS
ultra	295 FPS	249 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open EPYC 7573X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-13600K	EPYC 7573X
1080p
low	941 FPS	992 FPS
medium	941 FPS	900 FPS
high	923 FPS	775 FPS
ultra	831 FPS	671 FPS
1440p
low	941 FPS	767 FPS
medium	850 FPS	668 FPS
high	738 FPS	572 FPS
ultra	651 FPS	492 FPS
4K
low	651 FPS	550 FPS
medium	588 FPS	490 FPS
high	529 FPS	430 FPS
ultra	437 FPS	372 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open EPYC 7573X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-13600K and EPYC 7573X

Core i5-13600K

The Core i5-13600K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 27 September 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022) architecture. It features 14 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 24 MB. L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 37,655 points. Launch price was $319.

EPYC 7573X

The EPYC 7573X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2022-03-01. It is based on the Milan-X (2022) architecture. It features 32 cores and 64 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 768 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: SP3. Thermal design power (TDP): 280 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 69,432 points. Launch price was $5,590.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-13600K packs 14 cores / 20 threads, while the EPYC 7573X offers 32 cores / 64 threads — the EPYC 7573X has 18 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.1 GHz on the Core i5-13600K versus 3.6 GHz on the EPYC 7573X — a 34.5% clock advantage for the Core i5-13600K (base: 3.5 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Core i5-13600K uses the Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the EPYC 7573X uses Milan-X (2022) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-13600K scores 37,655 against the EPYC 7573X's 69,432 — a 59.3% lead for the EPYC 7573X. L3 cache: 24 MB on the Core i5-13600K vs 768 MB (total) on the EPYC 7573X.

Feature	Core i5-13600K	EPYC 7573X
Cores / Threads	14 / 20	32 / 64+129%
Boost Clock	5.1 GHz+42%	3.6 GHz
Base Clock	3.5 GHz+25%	2.8 GHz
L3 Cache	24 MB	768 MB (total)+3100%
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)+300%	512K (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	7 nm
Architecture	Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022)	Milan-X (2022)
PassMark	37,655	69,432+84%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-13600K uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the EPYC 7573X uses SP3 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-5600 on the Core i5-13600K versus 3200 on the EPYC 7573X — the EPYC 7573X supports 199.4% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The EPYC 7573X supports up to 4096 of RAM compared to 192 GB — 182.1% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i5-13600K) vs 8 (EPYC 7573X). PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-13600K) vs 128 (EPYC 7573X) — the EPYC 7573X offers 108 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel 600 series,Intel 700 series (Core i5-13600K) and SP3 (EPYC 7573X).

Feature	Core i5-13600K	EPYC 7573X
Socket	LGA1700	SP3
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5600	3200+63900%
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB+4915100%	4096
RAM Channels	2	8+300%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	128+540%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core i5-13600K has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. The Core i5-13600K includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 770), while the EPYC 7573X requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-13600K targets Desktop. Direct competitor: EPYC 7573X rivals Xeon Platinum 8280.

Feature	Core i5-13600K	EPYC 7573X
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 770	None
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Desktop	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-13600K launched at $329 MSRP, while the EPYC 7573X debuted at $5590. On MSRP ($329 vs $5590), the Core i5-13600K is $5261 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-13600K delivers 114.5 pts/$ vs 12.4 pts/$ for the EPYC 7573X — making the Core i5-13600K the 160.8% better value option.